Feb 17, 2026
Impacting the lives of others
Over the course of our own lives, we are often unaware of things we have said...
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Feb 17, 2026
Feb 15, 2026
Facilitating communication
I don’t know how many of you go for humorous movies. There aren’t too many good...
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Feb 12, 2026
The clock is always ticking
As accounting professionals we always remember to ask: “What is the deadline?”
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Feb 11, 2026
Maintaining a positive attitude
Having a positive attitude at ALL times is the most important thing you can do...
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Feb 10, 2026
90 second announcements
One of the more difficult conventions to master of our many traditions is the...
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Feb 9, 2026
The easy button
Staples, the office supply company, had an “Easy Button” that they sold in...
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Feb 8, 2026
The excuse you can't cure
If you really need to get someone you are interviewing off the phone or out of...
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Feb 4, 2026
Networking-A navigation problem
Acting as captain and primary navigator for a sailboat as I do is challenging...
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Feb 3, 2026
Guns blazing
Have you ever had the feeling that the world was against you? How can I tell...
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Feb 2, 2026
Acquiring knowledge
One of the things you learn pretty quickly in sailing is that “Mighty Mouse” is...
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Feb 1, 2026
The burden of communication
I often hear members complain about people not reading their resume carefully...
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Jan 29, 2026
The importance of being personal
I don’t know about you, but I can almost always tell when I get a thinly...
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Jan 28, 2026
Building your inner circle of friends
If you are interested in getting your job search off to a flying start in 2026,...
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Jan 28, 2026
Urban legends of job search
In the 30 years that I have been Chairman of The FENG, I have heard more...
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Jan 27, 2026
Imparting dignity
Those of you who know me (and in particular our Administrative Assistants) know...
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Jan 26, 2026
Dummy up
Most of the postings in our evening newsletter do not reveal the name of the...
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Jan 25, 2026
Trick questions
Now that the job market may be slowing down again, I thought we should turn our...
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Jan 22, 2026
Developing a thick skin
As someone who now makes sales calls all day long, it is sometimes hard for me...
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For those of you who are not familiar with the Tinker Bell story, all you need...
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Jan 20, 2026
The competition is fierce
What everyone should be clear about is that although I believe that “been there...
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Jan 19, 2026
Is the glass half full?
We are probably all aware and have been known to ponder the enigma of: “Which...
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Jan 18, 2026
The suspension of disbelief
Key to the success of most movies is the suspension of disbelief. There are so...
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Jan 15, 2026
Summing it all up
Not unlike your 90-second announcement, the space at the top of your resume is...
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Jan 14, 2026
More information please
I am more often than not surprised by the amount of time it can take for a...
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Jan 13, 2026
Hang on tight
I often receive messages in which members comment about how job search puts you...
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Jan 12, 2026
Coziness is a state of mind
I suppose that at times being a member of the runaway train we call The FENG...
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Jan 11, 2026
Conflicting advice
Wouldn’t it be nice if every time you asked a question, you got the same...
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Jan 8, 2026
Walter Mitty and other matters
Walter Mitty was an interesting guy. Although he did one thing in his real...
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The idea that you can wipe the slate clean is an enduring and endearing idea of...
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Jan 5, 2026
When your cup runneth over
From time to time I have gotten messages from members who either had multiple...
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Jan 4, 2026
Welcome to 2026
One of my observations is that everyone seems to be shutting down earlier and...
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Things that cost money: Donate to The FENG. https://www.thefeng.org/donate-now...
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Dec 28, 2025
No sad stories
As everyone heads off to welcome 2026, I would suggest that those of you who...
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Dec 22, 2025
A delicate subject
I know there are some members who have been “in the hunt” a long time and may...
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Dec 21, 2025
The consummate professional
Although there is no truth to the rumor that I have a pair of wing tip tennis...
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Dec 18, 2025
Performing the behaviors
I’m not sure why it is, but most financial folks think they are terrible...
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Dec 17, 2025
If the phone doesn't ring, it's me
Several years ago, a very old friend of mine called my attention to this song...
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Dec 16, 2025
Asking for and accepting help
One of the biggest challenges I face on a daily basis is getting our members to...
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Dec 15, 2025
Our open door policy
I’m sure all of you have heard the joke about the executive who was addressing...
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Dec 14, 2025
To Whom It May Concern
One of the more amusing aspects of this time of year is the effort some people...
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Dec 11, 2025
Tilting at windmills
From time to time, I have been accused of tilting at windmills. Actually, I am...
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Dec 10, 2025
It's always about you
For those of you who are movie fans, there was a memorable scene in a totally...
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Dec 9, 2025
The too hard pile
Everyone has a “too hard pile.” (Even I have one!) It’s all that work that sits...
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Dec 8, 2025
Local candidates only
I know how disheartening it can be to get to the bottom of a job posting and...
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Nov 28, 2025
Stopping the aging process
Several years ago The Wall Street Journal had an article about the many steps...
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Nov 24, 2025
Abbreviations
I guess the desire to shorten just about everything is part of human nature. I...
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Nov 23, 2025
An advertising over promise
For almost a decade I was Chief Financial Officer of an Advertising Agency.
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Oct 28, 2025
Attached is the file
Many of us pride ourselves on being brief. Being a financial person in part is...
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Oct 23, 2025
Can you hear me now?
One of my favorite commercials of all time was Verizon’s cell phone commercial....
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Oct 22, 2025
The darkest hour is before dawn
The published job market isn’t ever as strong as we would like it to be. That...
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Oct 20, 2025
Demonstrating attention to detail
The world today is filled with more opportunities to communicate than ever...
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Sep 22, 2025
Projecting a winning attitude
If there is anything that typically jumped out at me when we had our meetings...
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Sep 14, 2025
I’ve got you covered
We can all get a lot of help writing resumes. There are even lots and lots of...
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Sep 11, 2025
Approaching networking contacts
Since The FENG has been built by friends introducing friends, I imagine that as...
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Sep 9, 2025
Do you know who I am?
There is an extended joke I heard quite some time ago about a “gentleman” who...
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Sep 8, 2025
Communicating your special value
One of the most challenging aspects of looking for a new “work opportunity” is...
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Sep 3, 2025
10 seconds or less
Based on the resumes I see on a daily basis, I am not sure there is full...
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Aug 26, 2025
Defining who you are
Probably one of the hardest things to do in life is to define who you are. Are...
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Aug 25, 2025
Taking your temperature too frequently
I don’t know if any of you feel as I do, but when I have a cold or the flu, it...
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Aug 24, 2025
Hurting other members
It is of course true that our own self-interest at times quite naturally...
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Aug 21, 2025
Painting a pretty picture
I have often been heard to say that your 90-second announcement is a STORY...
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Aug 20, 2025
Career decisions
Career decisions Making career decisions is never easy. And unfortunately,...
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Aug 19, 2025
Working those business contacts
One of the biggest half-truths in this world is the idea of saving your...
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Aug 18, 2025
A curious requirement
As our organization has gotten better known, each week we get several...
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Aug 17, 2025
Ensuring a productive interview
I think you will find as you are out and about interviewing, that there are...
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Aug 14, 2025
Asking for and accepting help
Several years ago I got a note from one of our new members that warmed my heart.
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Aug 13, 2025
Matt’s lost friends society
Over the past few years I have had the great pleasure of reconnecting with...
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Aug 12, 2025
Abraham Lincoln and Bill Gates
In my distant past I remember seeing a commercial in which an Abraham Lincoln...
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Aug 10, 2025
How do you create value?
When asked what I do, my gut reaction is just to say “I do the Matt Bud thing.”...
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Aug 7, 2025
Hanging onto the pain
I don’t know if any of you remember the movie Rain Man with Dustin Hoffman and...
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Aug 6, 2025
Call me Ishmael
Thus begins Moby Dick. Of course, I am more likely to say: “You can call me...
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Aug 5, 2025
How are you doing?
One of the hardest things to do during a job search or even during a difficult...
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Aug 4, 2025
Do you have enough friends?
If there is anything those of you who have ever been engaged in a job search...
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Jul 30, 2025
Unasked questions
People rarely ask or even want to know why the sky is blue or why the sun comes...
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Jul 28, 2025
The responsibilities of sponsors
As I hope all of you know, The FENG is not a fee for service. Our most...
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Jul 27, 2025
The futility of planning
I guess it is in my DNA that I am always working on fixing things or making...
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Jul 24, 2025
Kidnap notes
Sad to say, the typical email cover notes I see bear a strong resemblance to...
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Jul 23, 2025
Taking in each other’s laundry
Networking is what The FENG is all about. And, it has a lot of not so obvious...
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Jul 22, 2025
Allowing others to wear us down
I had lunch a long time ago with one of our members. I always enjoy meeting and...
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Jul 20, 2025
No one has enough friends
For those of you who are new to the networking process or who claim to not be...
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Jul 17, 2025
A compelling summary
There is no more important space on your resume than that first section after...
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Jul 16, 2025
Point of reference
Then you actually get into the finals for a significant “work opportunity,” you...
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Jul 15, 2025
A sharp focus
A jack of all trades, a master of none.
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Jul 14, 2025
Creating actionable communications
As you all can probably imagine, I get a lot of email and phone calls every day.
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Jul 13, 2025
The curse of the cover letter
To tell you the truth, I almost never read cover letters first. Perhaps you...
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Jul 10, 2025
Maybe they won’t ask
I know it is hard to believe, but some of us good natured and hard-working...
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Jul 9, 2025
The sounds of silence
There was an article in the New York Times several years ago about how...
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Jul 8, 2025
Your many hidden talents
The subject of tonight’s editorial is “Your many hidden talents and the ones...
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Jul 7, 2025
Projecting a winning image
If there is anything that typically jumps out at me when we I meet our members...
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Jul 2, 2025
Paint on a smile
With the upcoming 4th of July holiday weekend, a great opportunity will be...
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Jul 1, 2025
A time of renewal
Although everyone thinks that spring is a time of renewal, actually (just like...
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Jun 30, 2025
Talking on the phone
Talking on the phone
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Jun 21, 2025
You can’t direct the wind
I have given much thought over the years to how sailing is a lot like life. In...
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Jun 18, 2025
Playing to an empty house
I have often wondered how actors polish their performances before the first...
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Jun 15, 2025
Say what?
I used to be very good at multi-tasking. Now that I have gotten older, I am not...
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Jun 12, 2025
Stress reduction in networking
I suppose it is hard to believe, but those on the receiving of networking calls...
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Jun 11, 2025
I’m smiling on the inside
I’m sure all of you have been to weddings and other kinds of gatherings where...
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Jun 10, 2025
Can you spel?
Some of the notes that I get from our many learned members fill me with dismay....
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Jun 8, 2025
The blur of 100 resumes
I have always had great interest in how others do their work, and more...
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Jun 4, 2025
Making the most of middle age
Looking back on my visualization of middle age when I was in my youth, I must...
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Jun 3, 2025
Creating a competitive advantage
With the number of folks competing for every available job these days, it is...
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Jun 2, 2025
Setting up barriers
As a breed, us financial types are such a precise group of individuals. It is...
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May 29, 2025
Your real audience
One of my favorite “sayings from the Chairman” is: I try to make things so easy...
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May 22, 2025
The sploosh syndrome
Here in Connecticut spring has arrived and with it the beginning of the boating...
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May 18, 2025
How does it work in theory?
Many, many years ago when I was in college, I had an economics professor who...
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May 14, 2025
Help me out – buy a ticket
I try to have several Zoom calls every week with members seeking advice about...
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May 13, 2025
The gift of friendship
As all of you know, The FENG is a circle of friends, not a fee for service. In...
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May 11, 2025
A “no wind” situation
As all of you know, one of my passions in this world is sailing. I not only own...
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May 8, 2025
What are your sizzle points?
Very few among us are professional sales folks. It is for this reason that some...
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May 5, 2025
One step at a time
I have observed over my life that most of the people identified as experts are...
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Apr 30, 2025
The Energizer Bunny
Probably one of the hardest things to do during a job search is keeping...
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Apr 29, 2025
Arrested but not convicted
We have had speakers at over the years at our meetings here in Connecticut and...
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Apr 27, 2025
The hidden job market
Much has been written over the years about the hidden job market. That said, it...
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Apr 24, 2025
The world is a finite place
When you are out in the middle of the ocean, it is easy to think of the world...
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Apr 23, 2025
Search firm rules of engagement
I got a note a few years ago from one of our members asking how to manage his...
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Apr 21, 2025
Selling from a full wagon
One of the great mysteries of this world is why consultants are expected to be...
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Apr 20, 2025
I’ll leave the light on for you
I am sometimes surprised how bashful financial types can be. Although Matt’s...
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Apr 17, 2025
Attention to detail
Attention to detail I am often disappointed by the correspondence I receive...
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Apr 14, 2025
How very incomplete of you
I don’t know about you, but the people who write to me and the people I call...
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Apr 13, 2025
Square pegs and round holes
When we review candidates for assignments being handled by The FECG, we try to...
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Apr 10, 2025
The three musketeers
Have you ever wondered why so many things are structured in threes?
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Apr 9, 2025
Getting started …. AGAIN
If looking for a job the first time wasn’t hard enough, going at it a second...
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Apr 8, 2025
War stories
Anyone who has been working as long as most of us in The FENG must have their...
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Apr 7, 2025
Call me Mr. Magoo
Tonight’s editorial will be somewhat of a repeat for our more senior members as...
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Apr 3, 2025
The power of negative thinking
So much for the “little engine that could!” Give me an opportunity to obsess...
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Apr 1, 2025
You’re in my files
There are so many urban legends associated with job search that I generally...
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Mar 31, 2025
Sticking with a bad situation
Deciding whether or not to stick with a job you have just taken is a difficult...
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Mar 27, 2025
Can you find me a job?
I’m not sure why people tend to lose their common sense when it comes to job...
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Mar 26, 2025
Building a theme song
Since 1997 when I began as Chairman of The FENG, I have been listening to...
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Mar 23, 2025
Selling into job leads
Job leads can be a tremendous resource for you, even if you aren’t interested...
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Mar 20, 2025
A sense of inner calm
When jobs are winding down, it can be very difficult to “keep it all together.”
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Mar 18, 2025
A new job on Monday
A few times each month I get a good news announcement from one of our members...
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Mar 17, 2025
Charles Darwin slept here
Although you wouldn’t know it from the influence it had on his thinking, one of...
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Mar 13, 2025
Putting your life back together
No matter what the crisis, it is a natural human instinct to try to put your...
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Mar 12, 2025
Before you hit send, think
One of those things about being on a boat that isn’t well understood by those...
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Mar 10, 2025
When the answer is no
You finally found a company that REALLY had interest in you. And the job...
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Mar 4, 2025
Don’t shoot the piano player
If job search is one thing, it is stressful. The uncertainty, the very idea...
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Feb 27, 2025
Bad first impressions
It is an old saw that “You never get a second chance to make a good first...
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Feb 26, 2025
How quickly skills are lost
It has been a few weeks now since Connecticut was hit with a significant...
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Feb 25, 2025
The value of free advice
There is, of course, the old saw that free advice is worth what you paid for...
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Feb 18, 2025
Some amazing things
Should I ever retire to do stand-up comedy, I can assure you that I have more...
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Feb 16, 2025
On being a deer in the headlights
We have now almost completed five full years of non-stop Zoom. I hope all of...
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Feb 11, 2025
Why Sundance wouldn’t jump
For those of you who remember the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,...
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Feb 10, 2025
A gasoline rag tune up
Many years ago I had to buy my son a car to get to school. So, we went down to...
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Feb 9, 2025
Successive approximations
In the accounting mindset, there is only one answer. The books either balance...
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Feb 5, 2025
Do the “experts” know anything?
I have observed over my life that most of the people identified as experts are...
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Feb 4, 2025
Little white lies
Sad to say, a lie is a lie is a lie. Some would also argue that the withholding...
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Feb 3, 2025
I will work for food
I’m sure some of you have been seriously considered for jobs that paid less...
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Feb 2, 2025
Why you left your last job
When they stopped paying me, that was bad enough. But, when they had the...
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Jan 29, 2025
Selling what’s in the wagon
As the length of time grows since your last “assignment,” the battle cry that...
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Jan 27, 2025
The art of getting up again
You have to kind of feel sorry for folks who have never been unemployed.
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Jan 26, 2025
Any excuse will do
Since about 90% of our membership is male, I hope no one will be offended if I...
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Jan 23, 2025
Past, present & future
I have often said that a member’s visualization of his new job is his last job...
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Jan 22, 2025
I’ve got you covered
I am fast coming to the conclusion that most people don’t understand the...
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Jan 20, 2025
Cheap tricks that don’t work
In today’s job market, everyone is trying to create a little edge for...
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Jan 19, 2025
Is the glass half full?
We are probably all aware and have been known to ponder the enigma of: “Which...
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Jan 16, 2025
The difficulty of being a friend
I often refer to The FENG as a circle of friends. In a very real sense, the...
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Jan 15, 2025
Running the high hurdles
Between reviewing new member applications and going over candidates for...
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Jan 14, 2025
The great white elephant sale
As everyone I hope knows, a white elephant is something that appears to be...
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Jan 13, 2025
The consummate professional
The title of this editorial is actually: “The consummate professional in an...
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Jan 12, 2025
Horns of a dilemma
In the things that we do to communicate our background to others, we are at all...
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Jan 9, 2025
Handling customer objections
The sale of big ticket items through personal selling is never easy.
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Jan 8, 2025
Hang on tight
I often receive messages in which members comment about how job search puts you...
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Jan 7, 2025
A rose by any other name
Back in 1991 after I had been out of work for only a few weeks I sent out a...
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Jan 6, 2025
Weather is very local
Ever the wise sailor, I always check the weather forecast before going sailing...
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Jan 5, 2025
Saturday Night Live!
I have been known to get seriously silly at times. (I know this will come as a...
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Jan 2, 2025
Welcome to 2025!
One of my observations is that everyone seems to be shutting down earlier and...
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Dec 30, 2024
A time for reflection
As accountants we know only too well that the time periods into which we divide...
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Dec 29, 2024
If the phone doesn’t ring, it’s me
Several years ago, a very old friend of mine called my attention to this song...
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Dec 23, 2024
Catch me if you can
In 2002, Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks starred in a movie about Frank...
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Dec 19, 2024
Paint on a smile
Over the next two weeks, a great opportunity will be presenting itself to you...
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Dec 17, 2024
Keeping it personal
I am always mildly amused at this time of year by most of the holiday cards and...
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Dec 16, 2024
Unsolicited advice
It is a well-known fact that men don’t like unsolicited advice. It is for this...
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Dec 15, 2024
Building to a sale
When you meet someone for the first time, the natural inclination and the...
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Dec 12, 2024
Putting your best foot forward
The development of a resume can be a long and involved process. There are so...
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Dec 11, 2024
The failure to communicate
The story I hear more often than not is how perfect someone was for a...
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Dec 10, 2024
Don’t be lazy
In a sense, a sailboat isn’t a complicated machine. Compared with other means...
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Dec 9, 2024
Presenting your credentials
Job search is a draining and discouraging process at times. (Or is that most of...
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Dec 3, 2024
Don’t pretend to be what you’re not
I have over the years had endless discussions with our many members on the...
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Dec 2, 2024
Getting from here to there
Sailing can be a very simple or a very complicated activity. It depends on how...
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Dec 1, 2024
In the box thinking
I know that all of us take great pride in being “out of the box” thinkers, but...
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Nov 25, 2024
Thanksgiving
As we begin “the holiday season,” I hope everyone will spend a few minutes...
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Nov 24, 2024
When things get quiet
Every once in a while, things get quiet. There is no email (except for our...
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Nov 21, 2024
Giving up is not really a good idea
At some point during a long job search I often get an email from a member in...
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Nov 18, 2024
The illusion of trust
It is always difficult to explain why you trust someone.
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Nov 17, 2024
The wind in your sails-not
A long time ago I read a book by Dodge Morgan. Those non-sailors among us will...
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Nov 14, 2024
Weather forecasting
Ever the wise sailor, I always (well, almost always) check the weather forecast...
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Nov 13, 2024
Reinventing yourself
Much as I hate using cliché phrases as the one above, I don’t really know if...
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Nov 11, 2024
Picking a restaurant
People who know that my wife and I are into sailing often ask us what we most...
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Nov 5, 2024
Any port in a storm
One of our members wrote to me a few years ago seeking some career advice. It...
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Nov 3, 2024
The FENG’s complaint department
I don’t know if all of you know it, but I started my career in retailing at B....
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Oct 31, 2024
Walter Mitty and other matters
Walter Mitty was an interesting guy. Although he did one thing in his real...
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Oct 28, 2024
The official change of seasons
As the days of fall begin to arrive in the Northeast and the trees begin to...
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Oct 24, 2024
The usual pack of lies
I often wonder to myself how politicians can do so much lying and get away with...
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Oct 22, 2024
The importance of labels
For those of us who read the newspaper from time to time, one can’t help but...
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Oct 16, 2024
Crawling out from under their rocks
Every once in a while I get a note from one of our members about folks who are...
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Oct 15, 2024
The ingratitude of superiors
As a group I think you will agree that most financial folks tend to be modest....
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Oct 8, 2024
Creating an inner circle of friends
It is a sad fact of life that no one ever has enough friends. Men in particular...
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Oct 3, 2024
Working your contacts
I would be the first one to agree that finding ways to keep in touch with your...
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Oct 2, 2024
Paint me a pretty picture
Personally, I am not a big fan of art museums. Sure, there are particular...
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Oct 1, 2024
Your many product benefits
One of the biggest problems you face as a senior financial executive is that...
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Sep 30, 2024
That feeling of incompetence
Have you ever felt you didn’t know anything about computers? I do all the time,...
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Sep 29, 2024
Feelings of helplessness
“They” say (I don’t know who they are) that searching for a job is filled with...
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Sep 24, 2024
The care and feeding of those who help
After “I love you,” “thank you” is probably the next thing no one hears enough.
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I can see from the resumes that cross my desk, that more than a few of our...
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Sep 22, 2024
Dumber than dirt
There is a lot of poor thinking going on out in the world about how to be...
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Sep 19, 2024
Best supporting actor
I once wrote an editorial I called: Your resume stands alone
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Sep 17, 2024
After all we have meant to each other
A few times a week we get an “Unsubscribe” note from one of our members asking...
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Sep 16, 2024
Confusing tools with a cure
I saw an article many years ago that went on at length about the...
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Sep 10, 2024
Always do your best work
I have never quite understood why the emails I get are so sloppy.
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Sep 3, 2024
A firm belief in the Tooth Fairy
I hope I will not sound like I am in a bad mood or anything, but I have to tell...
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Aug 28, 2024
A silver bullet
Ah, if only there were such a thing when it came to job search. Alas, there...
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Aug 27, 2024
Keeping a proper attitude
One of our members wrote me once and asked me about how to keep a proper...
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Aug 26, 2024
Networking is easy
Have you ever had someone call you up to network and actually been able to help...
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Aug 25, 2024
Making your emails look professional
I don’t know if you will agree, but I’m almost convinced that email is going to...
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Aug 21, 2024
Acts of friendship
As you know, every two weeks I publish a list of our new members and I ask each...
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Aug 20, 2024
Questions you would rather not answer
There is nothing worse in the world of job search than to have an obvious issue...
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Aug 19, 2024
Don’t call me late for lunch
I don’t know if all of you have noticed, but our new member announcement has a...
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Aug 18, 2024
Taking your temperature too frequently
I don’t know if any of you feel as I do, but when I have a cold or the flu, it...
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Aug 15, 2024
Do you have allergies?
For those of you with allergies, you know only too well that once you have a...
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Aug 14, 2024
Yakking on the phone
Most of us CFO/Controller types find talking on the telephone one of the more...
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Aug 13, 2024
I will work for food
Although the job market appears to be okay at the moment, it is still a sad...
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Aug 12, 2024
A simple framework
I’m not sure why people go their own way, but the standard resume framework is...
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Aug 11, 2024
Caught by surprise
There is nothing worse in this world than to finally get an interview and to...
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Aug 8, 2024
Law and order
Over the years I have been asked many times how large The FENG could get before...
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If I had to put my finger on the one issue that confuses senior financial...
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Aug 6, 2024
Lying is so hard
Despite all the financial scandals that we have seen over the years, most of us...
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Aug 5, 2024
Rejected out of hand
If there is one thing that is certain about us financial types, it is that we...
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Aug 4, 2024
Giving up as a concept
One of the more interesting ideas floating around these days is giving up. I...
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Aug 1, 2024
Good news announcements
I’m not sure if everyone understands the importance of our Good News...
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Jul 31, 2024
A rhinoceros and a piece of paper
Many years ago, my son and I were rowing out to our mooring to go sailing with...
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Jul 29, 2024
Any excuse will suffice
I am sure you have heard it too, the at length explanations others give as to...
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Jul 28, 2024
The art of friendship
Perhaps because we fill in so many forms during the course of our careers, it...
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Jul 24, 2024
Computers are here to stay
I sometimes get the feeling from the format of emails I get and the strange...
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Jul 23, 2024
Life is a journey
I have often noted to my friends who aren’t into boating that the difference...
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Jul 18, 2024
Fog sandwiches
Although by and large, the one thing we make more often than anything else for...
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Jul 10, 2024
Hard on the wind
Since not all of the members of The FENG are sailors, I really need to start...
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To quote George Bernard Shaw: “The biggest problem in communication is the...
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Jul 8, 2024
No right answers
In my continuing “joys of sailing” series, I thought I would talk about docks...
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Jul 1, 2024
A sharp pencil
There is no more powerful tool than a sharp pencil. (The only equally powerful...
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Jun 27, 2024
Taking a step back
Let’s be honest, even though the unemployment figures suggest a strong job...
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Jun 26, 2024
If you met yourself
Have you ever wondered who is that guy/gal in the mirror? I’m sure we all stare...
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Jun 25, 2024
The luxury of discouragement
I suppose that feeling sorry for yourself feels pretty good. The problem is...
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Jun 24, 2024
Attention to detail
I am frequently disappointed by the lack of attention to detail by the many...
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Jun 19, 2024
Just showing up
There are several folks who claim credit for it, but one of the things I have...
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Jun 17, 2024
Your hidden assets
Almost all of the resumes I see are from members or new member applicants. In...
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Jun 13, 2024
Free advice
I guess the old saw is that free advice is worth what you pay for it. The other...
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Jun 11, 2024
Points of difference
If I may paraphrase a line from the somewhat forgettable movie “My Cousin...
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Jun 10, 2024
Just checking in with you
I spoke to one of our members of long standing several years ago who joined...
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Jun 4, 2024
The illusion of time
Although this problem was more common many years ago when there were more...
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Jun 3, 2024
The truth would probably hurt more
If only those you interviewed with were legally able to tell you the truth...
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Jun 2, 2024
We’re not a job listing service
I know this will come as a shock to those of you who skip ahead to the leads,...
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May 30, 2024
Is procrastination beneficial?
As it has been said, never put off until tomorrow that which you can do today....
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May 29, 2024
A standard communication device
The resume has a long and established history in our country, and while from...
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May 28, 2024
Moving down market
I have often been heard to say that it’s always better to be working.
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May 23, 2024
Are we a support or resource group?
Like the classic fable of the 6 blind men standing around the elephant, The...
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May 22, 2024
When the answer is no
Over the course of our careers, as financial people, we become hard wired to...
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May 21, 2024
A fine line
The difference between being viewed as possessing dogged persistence and being...
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May 20, 2024
Reads and follows directions
One of the most important skills you bring to the party as a financial person...
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I don’t know what the weather has been by you lately, but here in Connecticut...
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May 16, 2024
Networking is easy
Perhaps this is a bit of an overstatement, but I am primarily talking about...
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May 15, 2024
Networking-A lifetime activity
I was fortunate to speak with two of our more experienced chapter chairs a...
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May 14, 2024
Proper uses of boilerplate
One from column A and one from column B. Sure makes it easy, doesn’t it?
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May 13, 2024
Beginnings, middles and ends
I spend a lot of time thinking about what makes the job search process so...
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May 9, 2024
All things to all people
It sure is difficult to be focused. As each of us over the age of 40 looks at...
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May 8, 2024
Is anyone holding out?
I hate to ask if anyone is holding out, but is anyone holding out?
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May 7, 2024
Being nice to everyone
Whether you are active in your job search or just trying to get your job done...
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May 6, 2024
Making introductions
Everyone knows a few important people who they believe will at some point be...
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May 5, 2024
The glass is at 50%
There is nothing more important to an effective job search than a positive...
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May 2, 2024
The elephant sitting in the room
If you went to an interview with a broken arm, I’m pretty sure you would feel...
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May 1, 2024
Running around recruiters
Several years ago I received a phone call from a long standing Friend of The...
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Apr 30, 2024
Your most recent 10 years
While from time to time I silently wish to myself that many of our members...
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Apr 29, 2024
Keeping hope alive
Whether you are currently working and hate your job or are currently in active...
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Apr 28, 2024
Fixing a bad attitude
How often have you heard it said “He has a bad attitude?”
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Apr 25, 2024
Bashfulness is not my strong suit
Hard to believe, but bashfulness is apparently a quite prevalent condition...
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Apr 24, 2024
Having the wind taken out of your sails
Conducting a job search, whether working or not currently employed, can be a...
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Apr 23, 2024
Everyone wants to help
I know that some of you who have been at job search for a period of time may...
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Apr 22, 2024
When is enough, enough?
The story goes that if a frog is thrown into a pot of boiling water, it will...
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Apr 21, 2024
Arrested but not convicted
One subject that comes up all the time is the importance of having an...
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Apr 18, 2024
You talkin to me?
Yes, I am talking to you.
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Apr 17, 2024
What are your sizzle points?
Very few among us are professional sales folks. It is for this reason that some...
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Apr 16, 2024
It is always better to be working
Even though the job market seems to be holding its own, I thought I would...
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Apr 15, 2024
The problem with falling overboard
As the sailing season begins here in Connecticut my thoughts more and more turn...
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Apr 14, 2024
Chip firmly in place
Over the years I have had more than a few “interesting” discussions with new...
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Apr 10, 2024
Are you ready to retire?
I don’t know about you, but at the age of 77, I still have more than a few...
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Apr 4, 2024
First impressions
We have all heard the old saw: “You never get a second chance to make a good...
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Apr 3, 2024
Explaining the magic
I am often asked by our members to give them a “formula” for constructing their...
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Apr 2, 2024
Organizations have character
One of the more amazing things I find myself discussing from time to time is...
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Apr 1, 2024
A few left over parts
When I was growing up, my father was a plumbing contractor and I had the great...
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Mar 31, 2024
Watching your back
It would be great if we could all see behind us while at the same time looking...
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Mar 27, 2024
Two peas in a pod
One of the great mysteries in this world is why any two people would network....
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Mar 26, 2024
Time is of the essence
For those of you who have had the honor of dealing with legal matters, you know...
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Mar 25, 2024
Effectively using the non-answer
As you mature and become over qualified for just about everything, it is...
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Mar 21, 2024
90% of life is just showing up
While I am sure the correct answer is “about” 90% (90% is a little too...
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Mar 20, 2024
When in doubt, throw it out
I don’t know if your incoming snail mail is anything like ours, but we sure get...
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Mar 19, 2024
Believing everything you hear
It is a great talent of us financial types that we do a lot of data gathering...
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Mar 14, 2024
Taking a punch
One of the lesser rated but most important traits of a senior financial...
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Mar 5, 2024
The sploosh syndrome
Life onboard a boat, whether sail or power, is in many respects different than...
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Mar 4, 2024
Explaining the magic
One of the great challenges we face as financial folks is explaining to...
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Mar 3, 2024
Keeping busy and productive
One of our members wrote me a while back and asked me about how to keep a...
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Feb 29, 2024
The challenge of redefining yourself
I have had several at length conversations with members from financial services...
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Feb 26, 2024
What have you accomplished?
I hope that over the past few days everyone has gotten a few ideas for the...
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Feb 25, 2024
The 80/20 rule
The 80/20 rule\r\n\r\nI have always been a keen observer of managers. One of my...
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Feb 22, 2024
The tried and true
You would think that with all the books and materials written about how to...
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Feb 21, 2024
Maintaining your self-esteem
Maintaining your self-esteem during a job search can be difficult at times,...
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Feb 20, 2024
Call me Mr. Know-it-all
One of the most endearing qualities of us financial folks is that we almost...
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Feb 19, 2024
LIfe changing events
There are many things that can happen to you in your life that change your...
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Feb 14, 2024
Helping out the competition
Over the years that I have been writing editorials, I have devoted a lot of...
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Feb 13, 2024
A few observations
I hope you all don’t mind, but I am going to ramble a bit tonight about some...
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Feb 12, 2024
Homogeneous groups and pitfalls
Is there a possible pitfall in sticking with a homogeneous group of unemployed...
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Feb 11, 2024
I never met a job I didn't like
Will Rogers is remembered as saying: “I never met a man I didn’t like.” I only...
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Feb 8, 2024
Dropping in a little artillery
The truth is that even friends sometimes don’t get back to you when you call....
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Jan 30, 2024
Removing mental obstacles
A very long time ago, I had the pleasure of attending a meeting of our...
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Jan 29, 2024
Making networking benefit YOU
I am always trying to explain networking to users. Tonight I am going to try to...
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Jan 28, 2024
Sharing with the Family
Job search can be a lonely business. There you are, in your home office from...
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Jan 23, 2024
Save the Nauga
I assume that most of you are unaware that in addition to being Chairman of The...
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Jan 22, 2024
They aren’t making any more of it
Ah, that very useful invention of mine, the day stretcher. If only it actually...
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Jan 21, 2024
Selling from a full wagon
Although it is certainly true that it isn’t possible to sell from an empty...
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Jan 18, 2024
Getting back at it
Okay sports fans, the new year has begun. It is now January 18th and time is...
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Jan 17, 2024
Geese and golden eggs
One of our very most important audiences are members of the search community...
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Jan 16, 2024
Knowing what’s important
I always find it interesting during 90-second announcements how nearly...
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Jan 15, 2024
Let’s keep it a secret
Any more than someone would write “Please Broadcast Widely” at the top of their...
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Jan 14, 2024
Putting your best foot forward
The development of a resume can be a long and involved process. There are so...
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Jan 11, 2024
Hanging on to unpleasantness
I don’t know if you remember “Rain Man” with Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman, but...
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Jan 10, 2024
There’s honestly no excuse
There was a time, I suppose, when it was really hard to get back to people....
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Jan 9, 2024
Unbelievable!
When asked how your job search is going or your job, the best answer is...
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Jan 4, 2024
Unsolicited advice
It is a sad fact that most men don’t appreciate getting unsolicited advice....
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Jan 3, 2024
Why bother saying thank you?
For those of you who are sailing fans and/or history buffs and saw the movie...
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Dec 12, 2023
The personal, impersonal
One of the very nicest parts of the holiday season is getting greeting cards,...
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Dec 11, 2023
The CB Radio craze
I don’t know if all of you are old enough to remember the CB Radio craze, but...
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Dec 10, 2023
Putting it behind you-NOT
Since much of what we do in The FENG is about job search, I thought it might be...
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Dec 7, 2023
Networking by brute force
From time to time, someone tells me that networking as an approach is falling...
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Dec 6, 2023
Who is that masked man?
I have at this point in my chairmanship of The FENG listened to a fairly...
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The definition of networking I use is: Networking is a process by which you can...
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Dec 4, 2023
It could be Santa Claus
I don’t know what it is about returning emails and phone calls. I get them by...
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Nov 30, 2023
Call me Mr. Know-it-all
I know we don’t mean to do it, but as financial types who come to our decisions...
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Nov 29, 2023
Words are important
The words we use when referring to others are important in that they affect our...
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Nov 28, 2023
Pitfalls and their avoidance
The world of job search can be an uncharted place.
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Nov 20, 2023
Are you skipping ahead to the leads?
I sometimes wish I didn’t publish job leads at all. I know this is shocking for...
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Nov 16, 2023
Money is important
When it comes to deciding if someone is a fit for a particular position,...
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Nov 15, 2023
Staying close to home
With the holiday season coming up fast, it is perhaps the time to repeat the...
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Nov 14, 2023
Mastering technology
This is probably just a lucky guess on my part, but I have the very real sense...
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Nov 12, 2023
What makes The FENG unusual?
Many years ago I spent an evening out with an old friend of mine who previously...
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Nov 9, 2023
Please, give me a hint
Every once in a while I get an assignment for The FECG that draws more than its...
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Nov 8, 2023
Email cover notes
Based on the email cover notes I see, I’m not sure we have all made the...
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Nov 2, 2023
Hard won personal relationships
The world is actually built on a series of personal relationships.
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For those of you who are new to networking and for those of you who think you...
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Oct 31, 2023
A lifetime commitment
It is in some ways a shame that the idea of networking has gotten itself so...
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Oct 30, 2023
Developing a thick skin
It has often been said that I am a sensitive guy. I don’t think anyone who does...
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Oct 29, 2023
I’ll call him back
Just to prove to you how old I am, there used to be a show on TV called “The...
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Oct 26, 2023
A fear of being contacted
Gosh, please don’t call me. That’s the message that I seem to get from time to...
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Oct 25, 2023
Starting over is never easy
Although I constantly repeat our two mantras that all jobs are temporary and...
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Oct 24, 2023
Two anchors or one?
A long time ago I got into a discussion with another captain about the wisdom...
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Oct 23, 2023
90-second announcements
From time to time I get requests for information on how to do a proper...
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Oct 22, 2023
Accepting help
One of the less well recognized phobias in this world is the fear of accepting...
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Oct 19, 2023
The art of being sensitive
I’m sure there are those of you out there who remember a positively awful movie...
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Oct 17, 2023
No steps forward, two steps back
One of the most difficult challenges in a career is being faced with taking a...
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Oct 16, 2023
This is no time to blend
If you haven’t seen the movie “My Cousin Vinny,” you may not really understand...
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Oct 12, 2023
The importance of alumni involvement
There is no topic that comes up more frequently than how can we keep our alumni...
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Oct 11, 2023
A lifeboat mentality
Unfortunately for all of you, my wife bought me a book once when we were on...
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Oct 9, 2023
The hobgoblin of consistency
As many of you know, I have a variety of backgrounds. I was not only in the...
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Oct 5, 2023
Some dumb ideas actually work
Back at the beginning of time itself when my good friend Ed Devlin was running...
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Oct 4, 2023
No one has time for mysteries
At one time many years ago I had a lot of time for reading. I picked up an...
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Oct 3, 2023
A simple case of identity theft
Over the past 25 years I have had more than a few opportunities to work with...
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Oct 2, 2023
Transferrable skills
There is no greater truth about our profession than the one about our having...
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Oct 1, 2023
Great expectations
For those of you who are familiar with Kermit the Frog, you know it isn’t easy...
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Sep 28, 2023
Keeping your chin up
There are lots of good reasons to keep you chin up. Of course, the most...
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Sep 26, 2023
Does anyone have job leads to share?
There was a time in the not too distant past when our evening newsletter on...
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Sep 25, 2023
Dear FENG Member or Current Occupant
In keeping with the spirit of networking that makes The FENG a remarkable...
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Sep 24, 2023
Over responding to job leads
One of the foundations upon which The FENG has been built has been relying upon...
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Sep 21, 2023
Making small talk
I have never considered myself a social butterfly, but I guess for many of us...
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Sep 20, 2023
It’s always about people
One of the most vexing problems potentially facing those who are active in...
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Sep 19, 2023
The sounds of silence
If losing your job wasn’t bad enough, the reluctance of business associates at...
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Sep 18, 2023
The small town syndrome
I am always chatting with potential sponsors for The FENG and from time to time...
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Sep 17, 2023
Yeah, what do you want?
Sometimes the phone here are world headquarters gets a little quiet. Several...
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Sep 14, 2023
Docking your boat
Let’s start with the fact that she weighs about 22,000+ lbs., and instead of...
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Sep 13, 2023
Giving and taking advice
It is well understood that men don’t like unsolicited advice. It is for this...
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Sep 12, 2023
Making a pest of yourself
As I am sure all of you know, one of your responsibilities as a member is, to...
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Sep 11, 2023
The proper placement of obstacles
As we used to go around the table at our meeting here in Connecticut...
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Sep 10, 2023
Doing the “friend thing”
Over the past few months I have gotten several notes from members commenting on...
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Sep 7, 2023
The truth (as retold)
I know that many of our members are faced with the unpleasant truth that they...
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Sep 5, 2023
Have you seen my glasses?
I don’t know about you, but I am always misplacing things. I work pretty hard...
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Aug 29, 2023
You’re not from around here
The number of qualified candidates in major metropolitan areas is always...
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Aug 28, 2023
Bestowing the gift of friendship
As all of you are out and about networking, I hope you are aware that one of...
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Aug 27, 2023
Reasons for inaction
There are, unfortunately, all kinds of events and holidays during the calendar...
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Aug 24, 2023
A clear piece of communication
It isn’t often that I get a great resume, but I got one recently.
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Aug 23, 2023
Junk mail
I don’t know what you consider to be junk mail. I view anything I don’t want to...
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Aug 21, 2023
Retained versus contingency
There is a great deal of fuss made out in “the world” about the difference...
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Aug 20, 2023
Life is a journey
I have often noted to my friends who aren’t into boating that the difference...
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Aug 14, 2023
Give yourself a break
Back in 1991-1992 I was unemployed. Yes, two full years.
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Aug 10, 2023
By way of explanation
Whenever I sit and review candidates for assignments being handled through The...
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Aug 9, 2023
Meeting the RIGHT folks
Being successful at getting meetings with potential decision makers who don’t...
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Although I must admit that I no longer use #2 pencils, I am still greatly...
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Aug 7, 2023
Time stands still
I can never understand why people hesitate in contacting old friends.
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Aug 6, 2023
Members in need of assistance
I am sure I don’t need to tell all of you that The FENG is a remarkable...
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Aug 3, 2023
Damaged goods
There was an article in The Wall Street Journal quite a few years ago that made...
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Aug 2, 2023
Are you serious in applying?
Let’s be honest. There aren’t a lot of job postings in our evening newsletter...
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Jul 31, 2023
You sure can rattle on
Breathing is a very important activity. And, during an interview, you should be...
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Jul 30, 2023
A 1,000 words (plus or minus)
I assume that almost all of you have a LinkedIn account. I don’t know how each...
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Jul 26, 2023
Don’t curb your enthusiasm
Perhaps it is because I have been a Chief Financial Officer that I find...
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Jul 23, 2023
Call me a compulsive
Over the course of any given week I have the great honor of reviewing sometimes...
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Jul 20, 2023
Don’t go it alone
Job search is in many ways a unique experience.
Read More
Jul 19, 2023
It’s always better to be working
When I was growing up, my father was in the construction business. Being a...
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Jul 16, 2023
All things to all people
It is a truth in this world that we get paid the most for doing something that...
Read More
Jul 5, 2023
A little breathing room
I have often been heard to say, “Cash is a four letter word.”
Read More
Jul 2, 2023
The golden rule – revisited
As you all know, I get a lot of email. Most of it is actually pretty routine.
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Jun 29, 2023
Birds of a feather
We are fortunate in the financial professions to be blessed with a very high...
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Jun 27, 2023
Unsolicited advice
There was a cartoon I saw many years ago. The picture was of a man playing a...
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Jun 25, 2023
Selling from an empty wagon
I often get the feeling listening to members of The FENG that they feel like...
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Jun 22, 2023
Practice makes perfect
Although we are all familiar with the above expression, I am not sure if...
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Jun 21, 2023
Can you hear me now?
I still remember with fondness the cell phone commercial where the technician...
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Jun 20, 2023
Before you click send
The fun never stops here at world headquarters of The FENG. I get more amusing...
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Jun 19, 2023
Reinforcing appropriate behavior
In one of the jobs I had early in my career I was Business Manager for the...
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Jun 15, 2023
Awaiting a rising tide
Although I would never willingly admit it, over the nearly 40 years I have been...
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Jun 13, 2023
Catching a tiger by the tail
I hope we all spend a lot of time networking. (To paraphrase René Descartes,...
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Jun 8, 2023
Zen and the art of job search
I have never actually read any of the books that begin with the title I...
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Jun 5, 2023
Your inner circle of friends
The FENG is a circle of friends, not a job listing service. The question I...
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Jun 4, 2023
Man is a political animal
One of the common complaints I hear from people about their current or prior...
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Jun 1, 2023
Corporations are reptilian
I hope no one will be offended by the thought that corporations are reptilian....
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May 24, 2023
Do you know who I am?
There is an extended joke I heard a while back about a man who experienced a...
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May 22, 2023
Everything is a story about you
I always find it interesting what people say about themselves.
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May 18, 2023
Asking for and accepting help
In our male dominated society called The FENG, one of the biggest challenges I...
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May 17, 2023
No one is out of work forever
One of the pearls of wisdom I heard from a friend of mine in 1991 was that no...
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May 11, 2023
An over reliance on job leads
Part of the lecture I deliver to new members who call me is that The FENG is a...
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May 10, 2023
Are you good for nothing?
One of the many things I am always surprised about is the degree to which most...
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May 9, 2023
Selling from your own wagon
Although we are frequently willing to accept lower salaries and/or lesser...
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May 8, 2023
Asking for specifics
One of the worst things that anyone networking can do is to ask if you know of...
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May 7, 2023
Are you over qualified?
I’m sure tonight’s topic will generate a lot of comments. Those of you who...
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May 4, 2023
A cut in pay
Probably one of the most upsetting and disappointing aspects of searching for a...
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May 3, 2023
The power of networking
For those of you who have been spending any significant time surfing the job...
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May 1, 2023
Maintaining your focus
Life is made up of a lot of endless details. And, as financial people, the...
Read More
Apr 30, 2023
An executive of true mystery
I am always amazed and astounded how frequently the resumes I see are missing...
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Apr 27, 2023
Spring has sprung
In the past week, it is clear that spring is finally here in Connecticut. As...
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Apr 26, 2023
Why do boaters wave at each other?
I don’t know about you, but there are lots of things in this world that I...
Read More
Apr 25, 2023
Sharing our knowledge
From time to time, I write an editorial that generates very thoughtful...
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Apr 24, 2023
There are evil doers
The executive search business isn’t what it used to be, but then what is?
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Apr 10, 2023
Your allotted time
I do tend to rattle on. Some night I will tell you the FULL story about how I...
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Apr 6, 2023
The ability to communicate
The changes that have taken place in the past 25 years in our ability to...
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Apr 5, 2023
A beautiful mind
Many years ago in the movie “A beautiful mind” about John Nash, the...
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Apr 3, 2023
Just in time budgeting
One of the many concepts I learned when I worked for a large corporation (that...
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Mar 30, 2023
Miles of bad advice
If there is any one thing that is consistent among senior executives who are in...
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Mar 28, 2023
Reinventing yourself
During every recession, there are typically specific industries that experience...
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Mar 27, 2023
Goals and objectives
My wife and I go cruising on our sailboat every summer for about two weeks....
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Mar 26, 2023
Details, details, details
One of the most annoying things about us financial types (at least to...
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Mar 23, 2023
Surviving storms at sea
For my birthday one year, my daughter bought me a book: “A Voyage for Madmen”...
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Mar 22, 2023
The captain can show no fear
With just about everyone in the ENTIRE world running around like their hair was...
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Mar 20, 2023
Home is where the heart is
As many of you know, in 1991 and 1992, I was unemployed. (Yes, two long years!)
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Mar 16, 2023
The renewal of old friendships
I never cease to be amazed how time stands still with respect to old friends.
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Mar 15, 2023
The golden rule
If there is any complaint I hear more than any other, it is that those we send...
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Mar 14, 2023
The sound of one hand clapping
Some time ago a member wrote to me lamenting that although he was responding to...
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Mar 13, 2023
Paying back favors
One of the worst feelings you can have when you are networking is that you are...
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Mar 12, 2023
Picking the pennies up off the floor
I am often asked how one should budget one’s time when conducting a job search....
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Mar 9, 2023
First, get the job offer
I often have been heard to joke that when I was in the Advertising business I...
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Mar 8, 2023
Just call me Superman
Job descriptions, especially the ones that go on for pages and pages, have to...
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Mar 7, 2023
The race to the finish line
Stop me if I am wrong, but I guess many folks find job search a painful...
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Mar 5, 2023
Reducing the clutter
Since 1997 when I first became Chairman of The FENG, I have probably reviewed...
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Mar 2, 2023
Silver bullets
Except for the Lone Ranger, none of us actually has silver bullets in our gun.
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Mar 1, 2023
Beware the open microphone
How often have we seen a speaker tap a microphone and say: Is this on?
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Feb 27, 2023
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
One of the most disconcerting aspects of looking for a job is that you often...
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Feb 26, 2023
Just give me the middle line
According to Google, double entry accounting was developed around 1300AD....
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Feb 23, 2023
Networking is easy
I am never surprised when a member tells me that he isn’t good at networking.
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Feb 22, 2023
Saying thanks
One of the gag gifts that my wife got once was a “Stress Busters” calendar....
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Feb 21, 2023
Who am I anyway?
Since 1991 (when I was out of work for the first time in my career), I can’t...
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Feb 19, 2023
Networking-The NFL approach
A lot has been written over the years and in this newsletter about the do’s and...
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Feb 13, 2023
The clock is always ticking
As accounting professionals we always remember to ask: “What is the deadline?”
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Feb 12, 2023
Maintaining a positive attitude
Having a positive attitude at ALL times is the most important thing you can do...
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Feb 9, 2023
90 second announcements
One of the more difficult conventions to master of our many traditions is the...
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Feb 8, 2023
The easy button
Staples, the office supply company, had an “Easy Button” that they sold in...
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Feb 6, 2023
The fine line
To call or not to call, that is the question. To write or not to write, that is...
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Feb 5, 2023
Networking-A navigation problem
Acting as captain and primary navigator for a sailboat as I do is challenging...
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Feb 2, 2023
Guns blazing
Have you ever had the feeling that the world was against you? How can I tell...
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Feb 1, 2023
Acquiring knowledge
One of the things you learn pretty quickly in sailing is that “Mighty Mouse” is...
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Jan 29, 2023
Urban legends of job search
In the 25+ years that I have been Chairman of The FENG, I have heard more...
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Jan 26, 2023
The dreaded telephone interview
If going on an interview wasn’t stressful enough, having a telephone interview...
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Jan 25, 2023
Imparting dignity
Those of you who know me (and in particular our Administrative Assistants) know...
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Jan 24, 2023
Dummy up
Most of the postings in our evening newsletter do not reveal the name of the...
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Jan 23, 2023
Trick questions
Now that the job market may be slowing down again, I thought we should turn our...
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Jan 22, 2023
Developing a thick skin
As someone who now makes sales calls all day long, it is sometimes hard for me...
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For those of you who are not familiar with the Tinker Bell story, all you need...
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Jan 18, 2023
The competition is fierce
What everyone should be clear about is that although I believe that “been there...
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Jan 16, 2023
The suspension of disbelief
Key to the success of most movies is the suspension of disbelief. There are so...
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Jan 15, 2023
Summing it all up
Not unlike your 90-second announcement, the space at the top of your resume is...
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Jan 9, 2023
Conflicting advice
Wouldn’t it be nice if every time you asked a question, you got the same...
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The idea that you can wipe the slate clean is an enduring and endearing idea of...
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If you are interested in getting your job search off to a flying start in 2023,...
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Jan 3, 2023
When your cup runneth over
From time to time I have gotten messages from members who either had multiple...
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Dec 27, 2022
No sad stories
As everyone heads off to welcome 2023, I would suggest that those of you who...
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Dec 26, 2022
A delicate subject
I know there are some members who have been “in the hunt” a long time and may...
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Dec 21, 2022
The consummate professional
Although there is no truth to the rumor that I have a pair of wing tip boat...
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Dec 20, 2022
Performing the behaviors
I’m not sure why it is, but most financial folks think they are terrible...
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Dec 15, 2022
Our open door policy
II’m sure all of you have heard the joke about the executive who was addressing...
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Dec 12, 2022
It’s always about you
For those of you who are movie fans, there was a memorable scene in a totally...
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Dec 11, 2022
The too hard pile
Everyone has a “too hard pile.” (Even I have one!) It’s all that work that sits...
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Dec 7, 2022
Hi, it’s me the pest!
The amount of follow up to do with recruiters and networking contacts is always...
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Dec 6, 2022
Rules of engagement
I hope you don’t mind if I take a few minutes tonight to explain the best...
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Nov 27, 2022
The holiday networking season
I try to take a few minutes of your time every year at this holiday season to...
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Nov 21, 2022
Move to where?
In 1991 when I was last out of work I was at a point in my life where I didn’t...
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Nov 17, 2022
The original 2 for 1 sale
Every once in a while, The Wall Street Journal publishes a cartoon worthy of...
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Nov 16, 2022
Common courtesy
There are some who would argue that in this day and age of email, texting and...
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Nov 15, 2022
Dream a little dream
Up until the age of 46 I didn’t spend a single day unemployed. From the time I...
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Nov 14, 2022
Have a magical day
For those of you who have been there, I’m sure you recognize the Disney way of...
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Nov 13, 2022
Did you have a bad day?
Let’s face it, sooner or later you are bound to have a bad day. The odds of...
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Nov 10, 2022
True confessions
While confession may be good for the soul, it is deadly when it comes to job...
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Nov 9, 2022
The quest for eternal truths
“Must have industry experience” often appears on position descriptions in this...
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Nov 8, 2022
They’re a pack of liars
There are an awful lot of people in this world who lie from time to time, some...
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Nov 7, 2022
Old friends and your job search
One of the greatest disappointments you may discover during your job search is...
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Nov 6, 2022
Boo!
It has been said that everything you really need to know, you learned in...
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Nov 3, 2022
The best jobs aren’t posted-DUH!
There was an article in The Wall Street Journal today titled: “The Best Jobs...
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Nov 2, 2022
25 words or less
There is this great place right at the top of each resume that I find is not...
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Nov 1, 2022
Throwing up on the customer
I hope you will all forgive me for the rather melodramatic subject of tonight’s...
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Oct 27, 2022
Fending off “silly” questions
Here you are (minding your own business) interviewing for a highly desirable...
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Oct 26, 2022
Force Equals Mass Times Acceleration
You might wonder what natural laws have to do with job search, but there is...
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Several years ago I read a book sent to me by one of our Associate members,...
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Oct 19, 2022
On being gracious in defeat
I have written many times about the fact that when the answer is no, you don’t...
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Oct 18, 2022
The wealth of talent
I have to tell you that I come away from most conversations with members of The...
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Oct 17, 2022
Knowing you’re not alone
They say that misery loves company. I hope all of you know that this has never...
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Oct 16, 2022
One device-many uses
In 1969 I was drafted into the U.S. Army.
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Oct 12, 2022
Who are you and why are you writing?
I continue to be amazed and astounded how many emails I get every day that...
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Oct 11, 2022
Conflicting advice
One thing there is a lot of in this world is advice. What makes matters worse,...
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Oct 10, 2022
Square pegs and round holes
It is important to understand that all job leads are not created equal. In...
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Oct 6, 2022
Standard formats
As many of you know, one of my weekly occupations is reviewing new member...
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Oct 5, 2022
Self-improvement
Seeing difficult times as times of opportunity I suppose is a skill in and of...
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I guess there has indeed been a total breakdown of law and order. Not only are...
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Oct 2, 2022
So much to do, so little time
So, you’ve started a new job. Congratulations. Now you only have to survive the...
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Sep 29, 2022
The importance of hobbies
I once worked for a division president who wouldn’t hire anyone who didn’t have...
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Sep 27, 2022
The networking process
In the days of wooden ships and iron men, the determination of longitude was...
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Sep 26, 2022
Gump happens
If only each of us had a crystal ball (highly polished of course) that we could...
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Sep 21, 2022
A wealth of information
The first time I show someone a navigational chart their eyes usually glass...
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Sep 20, 2022
The out-of-town job offer
It sure is romantic to think about a job offer out of town with a full...
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Sep 19, 2022
The fine art of commiseration
It is, unfortunately, far too easy to fall into the trap of having a negative...
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Sep 18, 2022
The truth about jelly beans
Many years ago, a college professor of mine related a story about one of his...
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Sep 15, 2022
Adapting in Darwinian fashion
I’m not sure if any of us really want to adapt to changing world conditions in...
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Jan 9, 2022
Putting it behind you
Since much of what we do in The FENG is about job search, I thought it might be...
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Dec 27, 2021
Building your inner circle of friends
If you are actually sitting at your computer with not much to do the next...
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Aug 23, 2021
10 seconds or less
Based on the resumes I see on a daily basis, I am not sure there is full...
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Jun 8, 2021
Staying hidden from view
I often wonder if people really want to be found.
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Mar 4, 2021
Explaining the magic
One of the great challenges we face as financial folks is explaining to...
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Jan 19, 2021
Getting back at it
Okay sports fans, the new year has begun. It is now January 19th and time is...
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Jan 6, 2021
Today’s events in Washington, DC
For those of you who don’t know my entire background, please know I served in...
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Nov 10, 2020
Never let a volunteer get away
At the beginning of time itself in 1995, there was only a Westport Chapter of...
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Nov 9, 2020
What is a “Tip Talk?”
I’m sure I don’t need to go into the details, but it goes without saying that...
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Nov 8, 2020
Enabling technology
When I became Chairman of The FENG in 1996, there was at the time an emerging...
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Nov 1, 2020
Things to do this week
Top of the list is, of course, to vote if you have not already done so. \n
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Sep 13, 2020
Silver bullets and the tooth fairy
From time to time I get inquiries about the services of career consulting...
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Aug 5, 2020
Lights are out in Connecticut
It’s always best to try to make the best of a bad situation.
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Jul 26, 2020
Human interaction
Sailors are a naturally friendly lot. (Yes, another sailing analogy!) As one of...
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Jul 19, 2020
Extending the hand of friendship
The name of Rodney Eaton may or may not be familiar to you. Or, you may be...
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Apr 30, 2020
Doing what you CAN do
There isn’t much I personally can do about the job market. I caught a few...
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Apr 26, 2020
Chat with Matt
As all of you know, The FENG is going “all in” on Zoom. To prove my commitment...
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Apr 22, 2020
Learning new things
I spent almost the entire day today learning how to host meetings on Zoom.
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Apr 16, 2020
Just keep going
As we head into yet another week of lockdown, I hope that tonight’s editorial...
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Apr 14, 2020
Necessity-the mother of invention
With each passing day, it has become clearer that face to face meetings of The...
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Apr 12, 2020
Humpty Dumpty and other matters
As we begin another week with a significant percentage of the US economy shut...
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Apr 7, 2020
Capitalizing on opportunities
During this period of time when all there is going to be over the next few...
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Apr 6, 2020
Doing useful things
I hope tonight’s newsletter finds all of you in good health and good spirits....
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Mar 26, 2020
Reach out and touch someone
It’s very easy in these difficult and unusual times to feel that there is...
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Mar 15, 2020
Kutsher’s convalescent home
When my wife and I were first married, we had occasion to go to book a several...
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Mar 8, 2020
Is the phone ancient technology?
The long history of telephone use in this country is pretty obvious. And,...
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Jan 19, 2020
The FENG’s Resume Review Committee
My dear friend Norm Weinstock passed away a little over 10 years ago. Norm...
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Oct 28, 2019
Do you get out much?
The second Wednesday in November we will be having another meeting of The...
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Jan 28, 2019
It’s all in the preparation
According to a survey that Bruce Lynn completed late last year, only about 30%...
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Sep 4, 2018
The ultimate scam
I was recently reminded of one of my favored approaches to networking that I...
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Aug 26, 2018
A silver bullet
Ah, if only there were such a thing when it came to job search. Alas, there...
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Aug 19, 2018
Acts of friendship
As you know, each week I publish a list of our new members and I ask each...
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Aug 8, 2018
A simple framework
I’m not sure why people go their own way, but the standard resume framework is...
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If I had to put my finger on the one issue that confuses senior financial...
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Jul 29, 2018
A rhinoceros and a piece of paper
Many years ago, my son and I were rowing out to our mooring to go sailing with...
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Jul 16, 2018
What is your theme song?
Over the years, I have found that I keep certain CD’s in my car and I play them...
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Tomorrow I will begin processing a rather large batch of new members. It is...
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Jun 7, 2018
Just checking in with you
I spoke to one of our members of long standing a few years ago who joined when...
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May 29, 2018
A standard communication device
The resume has a long and established history in our country, and while from...
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May 7, 2018
Is anyone holding out?
I hate to ask if anyone is holding out, but is anyone holding out?
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Apr 30, 2018
Running around recruiters
Several years ago I received a phone call from a long standing Friend of The...
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Apr 29, 2018
Your most recent 10 years
While from time to time I silently wish to myself that many of our members...
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Apr 2, 2018
First impressions
We have all heard the old saw: “You never get a second chance to make a good...
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Apr 1, 2018
Explaining the magic
I am often asked by our members to give them a “formula” for constructing their...
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Mar 28, 2018
A few left over parts
When I was growing up, my father was a plumbing contractor and I had the great...
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Mar 22, 2018
Time is of the essence
For those of you who have had the honor of dealing with legal matters, you know...
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Mar 19, 2018
Actors on a stage
In certain respects you have to envy actors. Every time they get up on stage...
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Mar 15, 2018
When in doubt, throw it out
I don’t know if your incoming snail mail is anything like ours, but we sure get...
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Mar 12, 2018
An inner circle of friends
If there is any topic I discuss more than any other in phone conversations and...
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Mar 5, 2018
Hurry up and wait
The mindset that is most appropriate for a job search is very much like my Army...
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Mar 1, 2018
Don’t act desperate
The volume of your responses to job leads posted in our evening newsletter is...
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Feb 21, 2018
Listening & throwing up
One of the many skills we always need to be polishing as financial...
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Feb 20, 2018
What have you accomplished?
I hope that over the past few days everyone has gotten a few ideas for the...
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Feb 19, 2018
The 80/20 rule
I have always been a keen observer of managers. One of my favorites was a...
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Feb 18, 2018
The tried and true
You would think that with all the books and materials written about how to...
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Feb 12, 2018
Sharing job leads
The sharing of job leads has been an integral part of The FENG for so long that...
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Jan 31, 2018
At a glance
There is a rumor out in the world that the attention span of your “average...
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Jan 30, 2018
A gap or a cover-up?
Time goes by fast when you’re having fun, doesn’t it? And what greater fun is...
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Jan 29, 2018
Selling life jackets to those drowning
Since a significant percentage of our members are in the job market, I thought...
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Jan 25, 2018
I’m a complicated guy
I always try to tell people who ask that I am just a simple financial guy. But...
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Jan 23, 2018
Making networking benefit YOU
I am always trying to explain networking to users. Tonight I am going to try to...
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Jan 21, 2018
E I E I O
I suppose I could be wrong about all of this, but I find the use of “, MBA” as...
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Jan 11, 2018
Geese and golden eggs
One of our very most important audiences are members of the search community...
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Jan 9, 2018
Let’s keep it a secret
Any more than someone would write “Please Broadcast Widely” at the top of their...
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Oct 31, 2017
Meetings all over the place
As I was scrolling through the newsletter the past few weeks, I couldn’t help...
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Sep 14, 2017
Working the room
Bashfulness has never been my strong suit. \n
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Aug 20, 2017
Reading the tea leave
I don’t know about you, but I find it hard not to have my eyes glass over while...
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Jul 30, 2017
Stale cigar smoke
In the movie Patton, George C. Scott explained why America was going to win the...
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Jul 25, 2017
Candidate Marketing Agreements
In last night’s newsletter there was a job posting from a search firm...
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Mar 23, 2017
The grass is not always greener
Out of the frying pan, into the fire. We sure have a lot of expressions...
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